The invention relates generally to computer controlled, overhead projector systems, and deals more particularly with such a system configured as a teaching aid or demonstrator; one application is to demonstrate a computer terminal having a touch screen control.
Co-pending patent application entitled, "SYSTEM FOR STORING AND RETRIEVING TEXT AND ASSOCIATED GRAPHICS", U.S. application Ser. No. 163,398, filed Mar. 2, 1988 by John Montagna, et al, discloses a computerized insurance estimator system, service manual, or other system which includes a computer terminal and a touch screen control. This patent application is hereby incorporated by reference as part of the present disclosure. Each of the systems in the co-pending patent application stores text, graphics, data and work sheets on a CD-ROM or other storage device for display on the terminal. The terminal preferably includes a liquid crystal display and a touch screen overlaying the display. By means of the touch screen, a user selects a sequence of text, graphics, data and work sheets for display to implement an insurance estimation function, to reference information from the computerized service manual, or to perform other functions.
Need has arisen for an effective tool to teach others how to use the systems described in the co-pending patent application and to teach a variety of other things with an input/output video aid. Oral instruction without a video aid is not satisfactory, nor is the use of large, hard copies of the various documents and menus displayed by the computer terminal.
A computer controlled, overhead projector with a transmissive liquid crystal display overlaying the projector was previously known. However, the input for this device is a keyboard, and the projector/display is strictly an output device. Therefore, the prior art computer controlled, overhead projector is not an effective tool for teaching or demonstrating the system described in the co-pending patent application and other systems which include a touch screen control.
Accordingly, a general object of the present invention is to provide an effective teaching aid or demonstrator for a computer terminal having a touch screen control or light pen control.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide an effective teaching aid for the systems described in the aforesaid co-pending patent application and other such systems.
Another general object is to provide a general purpose teaching aid with video.